Toothbrush sterilization cabinet

Abstract

A sterilizing cabinet for storing and sterilizing personal toilet articles, such as toothbrushes. The cabinet has a housing including a swinging door, receptacles for receiving and supporting a variety of differently configured electrically operated toothbrushes, and a rack having holes or slots for receiving and supporting manual toothbrushes. The cabinet has an electrical system having and supplying a sterilizing lamp capable of emitting ultraviolet radiation, an illuminating lamp capable of emitting visible light, and an AC-to-DC converter connected to recharging elements disposed within the receptacles for receiving electric toothbrushes. The sterilizing and illuminating lamps are independently switched. A safety switch senses door closure, and breaks power to the sterilizing lamp when the door is open. A charging receptacle connected to the AC-to-DC converter is mounted on the exterior of the cabinet.

I claim: 
     
       1. A storage and sterilizing cabinet for personal toilet articles, comprising: a housing enclosing an internal sterilizing chamber, said housing including a door mounted thereon, said door disposed to move between an open position exposing said sterilizing chamber and a closed position closing said sterilizing chamber;   a microbe destroying agent contained inside said sterilizing chamber;   electrical circuitry; and   a holder within said internal sterilizing chamber having a plurality of receptacles for receiving and supporting personal toilet articles, including a first receptacle having a first receptacle configuration and a first recharging element electrically connected to said electrical circuitry and a second receptacle having a second receptacle configuration different from that of said first receptacle and a second recharging element electrically connected to said electrical circuitry.   
     
     
       2. The storage and sterilizing cabinet according to claim 1, further comprising a rack having a plurality of slots for holding manual toothbrushes. 
     
     
       3. The storage and sterilizing cabinet according to claim 1, wherein said first recharging element comprises exposed electrodes and said second recharging element comprises a covered induction coil. 
     
     
       4. The storage and sterilizing cabinet according to claim 1, wherein said electrical circuitry has an AC portion and a plug and cord connected to said AC portion, said plug and cord extending outside said housing,   an AC-to-DC converter having DC power output conductors, said AC-to-DC converter operably connected to said AC portion, and   connection conductors connecting said first recharging element and said second recharging element to said DC power output conductors.   
     
     
       5. The storage and sterilizing cabinet according to claim 4, further comprising a charging receptacle mounted on said housing exteriorly of said sterilizing chamber, and electrical conductors connecting said charging receptacle to said AC-to-DC converter. 
     
     
       6. The storage and sterilizing cabinet according to claim 1, wherein said microbe destroying agent has an electrical operating system connected to said electrical circuitry, and said electrical operating system includes a door switch disposed to sense said open position of said door and to break electrical power from said electrical circuitry to said microbe destroying agent responsive to sensing said open position. 
     
     
       7. The storage and sterilizing cabinet according to claim 1, wherein said microbe destroying agent is a sterilizing lamp capable of emitting ultraviolet radiation. 
     
     
       8. The storage and sterilizing cabinet according to claim 1, further comprising an illumination lamp capable of emitting visible light disposed within said sterilizing chamber, conductors connecting said illumination lamp to said electrical circuitry, and a switch controlling power to said illumination lamp from said electrical circuitry. 
     
     
       9. A storage and sterilizing cabinet for personal toilet articles, comprising: a housing enclosing an internal sterilizing chamber, said housing including a door mounted thereon, said door disposed to move between an open position exposing said sterilizing chamber and a closed position closing said sterilizing chamber;   a sterilizing lamp capable of emitting ultraviolet radiation contained inside said sterilizing chamber;   electrical circuitry comprising an AC portion and a plug and cord connected to said AC portion, said plug and cord extending outside said housing, an AC-to-DC converter having DC power output conductors, said AC-to-DC converter operably connected to said AC portion;   a holder within said internal sterilizing chamber having a plurality of receptacles for receiving and supporting personal toilet articles, including a first receptacle having a first receptacle configuration and a first recharging element electrically connected to said electrical circuitry and a second receptacle having a second receptacle configuration different from that of said first receptacle and a second recharging element electrically connected to said electrical circuitry, wherein said first recharging element comprises exposed electrodes and said second recharging element comprises a covered induction coil, said electrical circuitry further including connection conductors connecting said first recharging element and said second recharging element to said DC power output conductors;   a rack having a plurality of slots for holding manual toothbrushes;   a charging receptacle mounted on said housing exteriorly of said sterilizing chamber, and electrical conductors connecting said charging receptacle to said AC-to-DC converter;   an illumination lamp capable of emitting visible light disposed within said sterilizing chamber, conductors connecting said illumination lamp to said electrical circuitry, and a switch controlling power to said illumination lamp from said electrical circuitry,   wherein said microbe destroying agent has an electrical operating system connected to said electrical circuitry, and said electrical operating system includes a door switch disposed to sense said open position of said door and to break electrical power from said electrical circuitry to said microbe destroying agent responsive to sensing said open position.